2nd Annual Hispanic Farmers and
Agricultural Professionals Symposium
After a successful start last year, we are looking forward to featuring the contributions of Hispanic farmers, agricultural professionals, and young Latinas and Latinos involved and seeking a future in agriculture.
The COVID-19 outbreak has challenged farmers, agricultural professionals, and the agriculture sector overall. The impact on Hispanic farmer livelihoods and purpose, food security, food supply chain and agricultural market systems are subjects that we plan to discuss during the 2nd Hispanic Farmers and Agricultural Professionals Symposium. COVID-19 is a global, state, county, and local problem. Government organizations are increasing the use of digital tools to maintain outreach efforts and introduce innovative methods to provide technical assistance to farmers from a distance. The pandemic presents many challenges to outreach, but it also creates opportunities to serve Hispanic farmers better and prepare for new agricultural needs.
This year, mano-Y-ola (formerly known as Nolo Consulting’s) team developed and implemented a Champions in Conservation Learning Network (CCLN). The Champions in Conservation Learning Network is a project intended to establish a cadre of trained bilingual leaders and champions in conservation and mentor (coach) producers and agricultural professionals who will become multipliers and promoters of conservation in agriculture. You will have an opportunity to hear presentations from our team, instructors, coaches, and participants on the topics and lessons learned during the CCLN.
Additional ZOOM Webinar presentations and discussions include the following:
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Presentation from Mr. Pepito Fabre (Bananera Fabre), farmer and owner
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The Impact of COVID-19 and the Influence on Agriculture: Perspective’s panel from Hispanic Farmers and Agricultural Professionals
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The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Young Hispanic Conservation Project Presentations
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Symposium Program 2020
Q & A Section
1. Q: What resources did you use to get the data on COVID?
A: John Hopkins via the NY Times
2. Q: What is a list of all of the conservation strategies that are used at Finca Bienestar?
A: Critical Area Planting, Cover Crops, Conservation Cover, Mulching, Bedding, Diversions, Ponds, Contour Farming, Multi-Story Cropping, Alley Cropping, Vegetative Barriers, Riparian Forest Buffers and Contour Buffer Strips, Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
3. Q: How can your efforts to conservation approaches be replicated around communities and small farms?
A: The keys to replicate our efforts include: 1) developing capacity among farmers and community leaders, 2) provide follow-up coaching while creating learning networks, 3) organizing these master farmers in the area to demonstrate and facilitate educational opportunities for others in order to pass their conservation knowledge forward.
4. Q: In what way would these other projects collaborate to achieve a common goal in implementing conservation approaches in the agricultural field?
A: Our core mission is to multiply conservation practices recommended by USDA-NRCS and farmers with proven conservation knowledge and success. We focus on building partnerships and collaboration to make sure the underserved Hispanic farmers receive programs and services equally.
5. Q: What are the crops currently cultivated at Ricura Caribeña?
A: Plantains, bananas, tomatoes, green leaves.
6. Q: How many Latino growers/producers are there in North Carolina?
A: There are 769 Hispanic Operators in the state of NC according to the USDA Census
7. Q: NC growers can be very reserved due to the political climate and other factors; how did that affect your experiences with NC farms?
A: It is definitely a challenge to reach farmers and develop a lasting and trustworthy relationship. We have developed outreach steps and strategies focused on taking into account the experience of the farmers we want to reach. I would be happy to talk to you about how and what we are doing. We are not always successful, but we do get better as we build a reputation and improve our methods.